


Kyoko/Julian

by coffee_and_wolfsbane



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-03 18:27:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20457497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffee_and_wolfsbane/pseuds/coffee_and_wolfsbane
Summary: In a smoke-filled tavern, two like-souls challenge each other in a battle of wills and trickery.





	Kyoko/Julian

As the last light of dusk turned to darkness, Kyoko entered the tavern labeled _The Rowdy Raven_ quietly. Even though it was the beginning of night, the place was full, mugs thudding against solid oak tables and voices overlapping each other to be heard. After managing to get the barkeep’s attention and carrying away a cup of steaming mead, she settled into a small table towards the back room and began to take slow, steady sips. The last few days had been a storm of tourists ravaging her supplies and demanding elaborate, detailed tarot readings. Kyoko's shoulders relaxed, and she took a deep breath in appreciation. 

_Noisy,_ a voice grumbled inside her head. Kyoko turned to glance at her shadow, which flickered in the light of the hundreds of candles that lit up the tavern. 

“You don’t have to stay, Regis,” Kyoko murmured to her familiar, who until just now, was resting in her shadow. She took another drink and sighed with content. “Go back to the shop if it’s too rowdy for you.” 

_And leave you alone?_ Her familiar began to manifest from her shadow, a flash of red eyes and sharp fangs in a black muzzle appearing as he took in the surroundings with mild disdain. 

“To remind you, I can handle myself. If you need another lesson,” Kyoko began, giving her familiar a pointed glare. She could feel a fission of fear spike through him, and she let out a soft, quiet laugh. 

_I haven’t fully healed from the last one._ Regis stretched, his long body wrapping around her and the table. His flowing tail brushed up against her in a gesture of affection. _Is this really how you want to spend your night off? Surrounded by drunk humans?_

“It’s better than cleaning the shop for the eighth time,” Kyoko countered, taking a long draw from her mug. “And besides, it’s too nice of a night to stay at home.” 

Regis muttered something unintelligible before stiffening, his eyes flashing a bright red. _I think I’ll stay._

“What is it?” Since bonding with him, Kyoko was able to sense what he was feeling, and a warning of danger and caution was pulsing through his lupine form.

_I don’t like how that one is looking at you. It’s like he’s sizing you up for a coffin._

Kyoko sipped her drink thoughtfully and then set it down, casually stretching her arms above her head. She used the movement as a distraction to scan the crowd and pick out the man who made her familiar on edge. Red, unruly hair, a bright eye, and pale skin flashed through her line of vision before another body blocked the view of whoever was staring at her. 

“Go home, Regis.” Anticipation curled low in her stomach, and the crowd shifted, giving her a view of the red-haired stranger again. He was dressed in a flowing black coat, and as he hailed the bartender, his movements were fluid and extravagant, his arms sweeping out and giving the barkeep a little bow as his drinks were poured. 

Regis sank back into the darkness hesitantly, a low growl sounding from his throat. _Are you sure?_

_It looks like the night won’t be boring after all,_ Kyoko thought with a small smile. “Go, Regis,” she repeated softly. She felt her familiar detach from her shadow and use the darkness to leave the tavern.

Kyoko brushed her dark hair out of her eyes and let her wrap fall from her shoulders, the smooth material pooling around her waist. She could feel the stranger's focus on the back of her neck, and her skin prickled in response. She picked up her mug again and drained it, the warmth from the liquid filling her chest. Just as she set it down on the table, she heard the voice of the stranger sound from behind her. 

“Seems as though you could use another round!” 

Kyoko’s eyes flicked over him in a concise once-over, taking in his face half-hidden by his thick hair and a patch covering his right eye, lopsided grin, and finally landed on both frothy mugs in his hands. 

She set her drink to the side and nodded towards the empty chair that sat across from her. The stranger sat down with a flourish, and took a short drink from each mug he had brought. He then placed one mug in front of her and kept the other for himself. 

“Now that you know it’s not poisoned, cheers!” The stranger winked at her before drinking from his own mug. 

“And who should I thank for my purchased drink?” Kyoko asked, trailing her fingers across the cold flank of the cup. 

The stranger set his mug down with a loud thump and gave her a half-bow, his head tilted up so he didn’t look away from her, that grin still on his face. “Please, call me Julian.”

“Kyoko,” she responded, and held out her hand. The stranger--Julian--clasped it in his leather-clad palm, and brought it up to his face slowly, giving her ample time to yank it back. Heat took the place of the warmth from the alcohol, and she watched as his lips brushed against the back of her hand, once...then twice. 

“Kyoko,” Julian repeated quietly, her name breathed against her skin. He lifted his head, his gaze dancing over her face. “A pleasure to meet you.”

She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and slid her hand out of his gentle grip, the supple leather teasing her fingertips as she withdrew. Uncomfortable with the sudden flare of desire that spread through her, she cleared her throat. 

“What made you interrupt my evening, Julian?” Kyoko asked. 

“It should be a crime for such a delectable woman to be alone.” Julian wagged his eyebrows at her, and she bit her tongue gently to stop the laugh that wanted to bubble out. “And on such a beautiful evening! How about we celebrate our new friendship with a little game?” 

_Game?_ Kyoko tilted her head to the side, watching him with a sense of doubt deep in her mind. “What kind of game do you have in mind, Julian?” she asked. 

“Why, a drinking game of course! What other kinds are there?” Julian relaxed against the back of his chair, one arm resting on the table and the other fishing around his waist. He withdrew a fine pouch, covered with soft, black feathers. He shook out a few coins that gleamed in the light, letting her glance at them, then returned them. He dropped the pouch in the middle of the table. 

“And what game is complete without a little bet?” He grinned at her, his eye gleaming with mischief. 

_How many others have fallen for this?_ Kyoko thought to herself, returning his smile with one of her own. She instantly recognized the fake currency; it was well made, but for someone with experience in falsehoods and secrets, she knew immediately. _How many women has he wooed with his smooth words and dramatic gestures? How many men have gone home broke because of his tricks?_

Kyoko reached out and stroked the feathers. “What kind of bet do you have in mind?” 

“Nothing too complicated, my dear. Whoever is standing by the time last call rings out gets the prize,” he explained, gesturing to the coin purse. “Though, I’m already a winner if I get to spend the night with you, Kyoko.” 

Kyoko felt another blush coming on, and her gaze sharpened, her smile shifting into a flash of teeth and banked aggression. _I’m going to give you a night you will **never** forget,_ she thought. She brought out her own small coin purse and tossed it on the table besides his. 

“Very well, Julian. Game on.”

“That’s the spirit!” Julian exclaimed, and sat forward, steepling his gloved fingers. “The rules are simple, Kyoko. We take turns guessing something about the other. If one guess correctly, the other drinks. You keep guessing until you get something wrong. Last one standing wins.” With another sweep of his arm, he gestured towards her. “Ladies first.” 

Kyoko’s gaze went to the prize, filled with fake foreign coins, and she slid her eyes back to him. “You’ve been out of Vesuvia, to different countries.” 

Julian gave her that little bow again and took a drink.

“You don’t practice magic.” She didn’t feel the tug of accessed magic coming from him. There was something around him though. Maybe someone he was close to practiced? 

Julian gave a wry chuckle and shook his head. “No, I do not. Not crafty enough,” he said, and took another drink. 

“You have a sibling,” Kyoko guessed. 

“Ah, ah, too general,” Julian chastised. “Brother or sister, Kyoko?” 

“Brother,” she guessed again. Triumph flitted across his features, and he shook his head. “Brothers,” she tried. 

“Incorrect. My turn.” He made no effort to hide his long, slow look that swept across her face, her neck, her shoulders, stopping short of leering at the tops of her breasts that were just barely visible through her the collar of her top.

“You practice magic.” Kyoko took a drink. The cold ale felt refreshing from the sudden heat that had followed where his eye traced. “You’re a night owl, preferring to work while the world is dark.” She took a second drink, a longer one. “You can never find clothes that fit your vision, so you either alter or make your own outfits.”

Kyoko stiffened slightly, forcing herself not to glance down self-consciously at what she currently wore. What Julian had guessed was true, but suddenly she felt like she was dressed shabbily under his sharp eye.

“Don’t take that badly, Kyoko,” Julian said smoothly, noticing her change in demeanor. “Your clothes are works of art, and they flatter you perfectly. Besides, I love a woman who’s good with her hands.” He bit his lip slowly, and this time Kyoko let the laughter escape past her lips. She finished her drink in one big swig, and set down the mug with a satisfying clunk. 

“Three in a row, Julian. You’re very good at this,” Kyoko mused, turning to flag down the barkeep. Once she had another drink in front of her, she motioned for him to continue.

“You live alone,” Julian surmised. 

Kyoko felt another smile play across her face. “Are you asking if I live alone, or if I’m single?” She watched him consider the two questions, his leather fingers tapping against his chin. 

“You’re single,” Julian corrected. 

Kyoko wouldn’t admit it, but she enjoyed how his face started to fall as she stalled in answering. Finally, she spared him and took a drink. 

“Ahaha, I should be careful; you’re a smart one,” Julian chuckled. “You don't know how to ride horseback.” 

“Drink up, Julian, you’re win streak just broke,” Kyoko said. She shifted forward, and let her hand slip a little--the telltale signs, to someone watching, of being drunk. But what Julian didn’t know is that she had a tolerance to alcohol that could rival a pirate crew, and she was just getting started. “I’ve been riding since I was young. I loved the feeling of flying over the ground, and I worked at stables whenever I could before I discovered my affinity for magic.” 

Julian laughed, and copied her earlier move, draining his cup in a few long swigs. “Guess away, dear Kyoko.” His pale skin was flushed, and when he waved over to the bartender, instead of mugs, tall tinted glass bottles were set in front of them; one for her, and one for Julian. 

One sniff at the contents had her smiling. This was most likely moonshine, and she wasn’t backing out now. 

“You used to work at the palace,” she guessed. Almost everyone had worked there at some point.

Julian scowled--from the previous work he did or at her correct guess, she couldn’t tell--and took a drink straight from the bottle. He grimaced, his visible eye screwing up, and he coughed a little. 

“You can pick locks,” Kyoko said. Julian gave her a mischievous wink and took another pull from the bottle. 

Kyoko batted her lashes, fueled by the liquor, and leaned forward, motioning him closer. He mimicked her, the scent of leather and something else brushing over her. She offered him a wicked smile and said softly, “You had no idea that I’m not wearing a chemise, shift, or corset underneath this shirt.” 

Julian’s eye flared and he blushed, his eye doing an up-and-down dance of wanting to look and skittering back to her face. “T-that’s cheating,” he stammered.

Kyoko leaned back and smiled. “Drink or don’t, Julian.” She rolled her shoulders, stretching and arching her back, enjoying the feeling of her chest pushing against the loose silk. 

Julian looked this time, blushing harder, and he took a long swig. “Now I know,” he muttered, watching how the fabric settled against her skin when she stopped moving. 

“Now you’re wondering if my lower half matches the top,” Kyoko purred. 

“Drink, Kyoko.” His voice was like a caress, rolling over the syllables that made up her namesake. “That is not what I’m wondering.” 

His eye focused in on her lips as she put the bottle up to her mouth. The liquor burned her nose as she took a swallow. Julian straightened in his chair, his hand splayed on the table for balance, and he grinned at her. 

“You can dance. Oh, I bet you can captivate a monk with how you move,” Julian said, his words running together. Kyoko took a drink, her head feeling light and full of cotton. “You have a...a suit of armor on the outside, to protect yourself. To protect your family from yourself.” 

Kyoko frowned, confusion showing on her face. “Julian?” 

To her shock, he chugged the rest of the bottle, looking at it in surprise when it became empty. “Ahh, forgive me. We were talking about you, not me. I forgot.” The bottle slipped from his grip and landed on the floor. Julian continued to mumble, and over the noise of the other patrons leaving, she couldn’t understand him. He attempted to stand and pick up the bottle, but his balance shifted and he collapsed back into his chair. 

“Julian,” Kyoko repeated, raising her voice a little, trying to get his attention. She got up and went to stand in front of him, and only when she was in his field of vision did he notice her again. 

“What beauty is before me?” he slurred, reaching out to brush a knuckle over her cheek. “I don’t deserve to be near you. Careful, Kyoko, you might catch something.” 

He was making less and less sense the more the alcohol hit him. Kyoko reached out with her mind, brushing against Regis to get his attention. She doubted Julian would want her to drag him back to wherever he lived, and her familiar was strong-- 

Julian stood up suddenly, almost knocking her off balance. He caught her, pulling her into his chest. Being so close to him made her realize how much taller he was. His chin rested comfortable on the top of her head. His arms were strong, locking her in place like iron bars. One hand kept her firm against him while the other ripped off the eyepatch he wore, and when he pulled back slightly, his gaze was boring into her. All she could look at was the red sclera that looked almost black in the dim light.

_Kyoko!_ As her bonded familiar, Regis was connected to her, and in her shocked state, her mental walls were down, revealing everything she was feeling...and seeing. 

“I wouldn’t want you infect you,” Julian said coldly. 

_Red. Redder than blood, redder than rubies glinting in the noonsun._

Red was all Kyoko could see as Julian glowered at her, his arm still pinning her to his chest. A dozen different emotions rampaged through her--shock giving way to fear, then denial forced everything else out. The plague was over. It hadn’t claimed a victim’s life in years. Kyoko swallowed convulsively, and Julian’s stony face watched her reaction. 

“Pretty, isn’t it?” he spat venomously. His playful grin was gone, replaced with a sneer. “Go on, take a closer look.” 

His other hand was still gripped around the eyepatch, and it landed on the back of her head, twisting into her hair. He craned over her, drawing her in until his lips were hovering over her mouth. She could feel his harsh breaths fan over her face, and her own lips parted, trying to get in air past the lump in her throat. 

They stood like that, Kyoko unable to move or pull away from his uneven gaze, and Julian refusing to move, for what seemed like ages. He was the one that broke the tension building between them, his mismatched eyes dropping to her parted lips. 

Just when she thought he was going to close the distance and kiss her, his face turned to the side, burying his cheek against her neck and shoulder. 

“I don’t want to taint you.” Kyoko could barely catch the whispered lamentation that was spoken into her hair. 

“Oi! Closing in ten minutes, girl!” 

The bartender’s barked-out words made Kyoko acutely aware that they weren’t alone. She snapped into action, pulling his arm that still clutched at the patch away from the back of her head. She wiggled her other arm from between their bodies and took his chin in her palm, tilting his head. She captured the patch from his hand and slid it over his damaged eye, tying it securely. A quick inspection showed that it covered what needed to be hidden, and some of his hair fell over his eye patch, obscuring his face even more. Instinctively, she brushed his hair out of the way, and she was surprised at how soft the locks were. 

_KYOKO!!_

Regis’ shout rang in her head and made her cringe in pain. Julian staggered, and his hold on her was gone as he slumped over a neighboring table. Kyoko snatched up his crow feather pouch, leaving hers for what they had consumed, and struggled to get one of his arms over her shoulders so she could maneuver him outside into the street. 

_I’m fine, Regis. Although some help wouldn’t hurt,_ she hissed. A few moments later, her familiar arrived, appearing out of the shadows cast on the tavern’s wall.

Regis wrinkled his muzzle at the scent of hard alcohol that was attached to Julian's barely conscious body._Fun evening?_ Regis went to the other side and nosed his way underneath Julian’s other arm. Kyoko decided not to comment, but instead focused on the path ahead. 

“Can you tell where he came from?” she asked, occasionally checking to make sure Julian was still breathing. 

_His scent is strong. Strong and weird. This way._

The trio followed Regis’ directions, ending to a cozy home. Kyoko knocked, but when no answer came, she tried the door. 

“Regis, slip inside and let us in.” Her familiar grumbled a few complaints, and she heard the phrase _breaking and entering_, but he obeyed. Soon, she heard the lock on the door turn, and the door swung open, revealing a neat kitchen. She half-carried, half-dragged Julian inside, and spotted a bedroom off of the kitchen. 

“Regis, watch for anyone coming back. We don’t know if he lives here, or if it’s just someone he knows.” 

Once Julian was on the bed, Kyoko set to getting his dirty boots off, stripping him down to his shirt and pants. After a little thought, she untied the eye patch and let it slip free from his head. She trailed her fingers over the closed eye. He was out cold, but he shifted into her touch. 

_Kyoko, someone’s here--_

A surprised voice came from the kitchen, and Kyoko jumped up from her spot on the bed. 

“Ilya! Did you bring home a dog?” 

_Dog?_ Regis let out a huff of indignation, but when the old woman reached out without hesitation to start scratching behind his ears, Regis closed his eyes in bliss. Shrewd eyes spotted Kyoko next as she emerged from the bedroom. 

“He tried to hustle me,” Kyoko said as an explanation, pointing a thumb over at the unconscious Julian. 

The old woman let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Bit off more than he could chew, eh? Good. It’s about time he got a taste of his own tricks.” The homeowner set about getting a kettle, filling it with water, and placing it inside the fireplace. “Sit,” she commanded, pointing to the low table and two chairs. Kyoko obeyed as Regis stretched out next to the freshly lit fire. “What’s your name, girl?” 

“I’m Kyoko. That is Regis, my familiar,” she answered. 

“Mazelinka. I suppose I should thank you for bringing him home and not robbing him and leaving him in the street. Not sure I would have made the same choice.” Mazelinka moved around with purpose, retrieving two cups and a plate of pastries. “He thinks he’s so clever sometimes, but get a few drinks in him and he starts bellyaching like a child.” 

“So you know about his...” Kyoko trailed off, not sure how to describe it. Was he infected? Did he survive the plague? She was nervous of losing this man who had just gallivanted into her life. 

“He’s not sick. Just stupid,” Mazelinka confirmed. 

Kyoko let out a burst of laughter, and it didn’t stop there. From the alcohol still flowing in her system, to the events at the Raven, she kept laughing until her sides ached and Mazelinka was grinning too. As she prepared coffee, the scent of fresh grounds woke up Kyoko’s senses, giving her a sense of comfort. She thanked Mazelinka and accepted a hot cup and sipped it carefully.

“Now,” Mazelinka crowed, her shrewd eyes lighting up. “Tell me everything that happened.” 

As Kyoko recounted the night’s peculiar events, dawn chased away the shadows of the night, and weak rays of light came in through the kitchen window. Regis had retreated to Kyoko’s shadow, and birds had begun to sing when Kyoko and Mazelinka heard a groan from the bedroom. 

“Oh..._gods_.” 

Kyoko slapped a hand over her mouth as laughter threatened to give her away. Mazelinka swatted at her and called out to Julian. 

“Rough night, Ilya?” 

“I made it back in one piece...I think.” 

Mazelinka gave a scoff of doubt. “Are you sure you didn’t forget anything at the Raven?” she called out. Kyoko stifled another giggle as Mazelinka grinned at her, then whispered, “Maybe your common sense.” 

Kyoko shook her head, and took out his black feather purse from her pocket. Mazelinka slapped the table in a hard crack, laughter shaking the old woman. The bed creaked, and they heard the thump of legs hitting the floor. 

“Is that coffee? Any chance you’d--” 

“You’ll come out and get it yourself, Ilya,” Mazelinka retorted. 

Kyoko heard Julian mutter a couple of swears before he stumbled into the kitchen, the sunrise leaving him squinting. His hair was wild, sticking out at different ends, and he hadn’t put on his eye patch. He was a few steps into the kitchen when he spotted Kyoko, and he froze, his eyebrows flying up. 

A coy smile played across Kyoko’s lips, and she arched a brow when he just stood there, gaping at her. His hand instinctively slapped against his mismatched eye, making Kyoko and Mazelinka chuckle. 

“After your little stunt in the tavern, that’s not necessary,” Mazelinka chortled. “I heard you had your ass handed to you by some bootleg liquor.” 

Julian lowered his arm awkwardly. He opened his mouth to speak, but had to try a few times to get a full sentence out. “What...how...why is Kyoko here?” 

“I’m surprised you remember her name,” Mazelinka commented, her head swinging to look back and forth between Julian and Kyoko. 

“I’m here because you hustled someone who can drink you under the table,” Kyoko drawled. She held up her prize; his crow feather pouch in her palm. “Not that it’s much of a win,” she added. She spilled the coins onto the table top, picking one up and rolling it between her fingers. “Every single one is fake.” 

“Ilya!” Mazelinka barked out sharply, her eyes giving him an accusatory glare. “You’re still using those fake coins?”

Julian had the sense to blush and look ashamed. “I didn’t expect to meet...you,” he muttered, stealing a glance at Kyoko. He coughed a little, and then that grin was back, making Kyoko start to smile in return. 

“I don’t suppose you’d want a rematch?” Julian asked, wagging his eyebrows at her. “This time, we’ll use our clothes instead of coin--_ouch_!” He was interrupted as Mazelinka started swatting at him with a wooden spoon, berating him in a different language. As Julian laughed and raised his arms to defend himself, Kyoko let her eyes drift to his lean frame, and the taunt muscles of his chest and abdomen that were hidden by his shirt. 

_Game on, Julian,_ Kyoko thought, a smile spreading across her face.


End file.
